Improvement in miners  safety candlesticks



T. A. WASHBURH.

Miners Safety Candlesticks.-

No. 134,113. Patented Dec.17, 1872.

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TEEonoEE A. WASHBURN, OF corn) HILL, NEVADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MINERS SAFETY CANDLESTICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,1 [3, dated December 17, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. WAsE- BURN, of Gold Hill, Storey county, State of Nevada, have invented an Improvement. in

Miners Safety Candlesticks; and I do hereout further invention or experiment.

My improvement in candlesticks relates to, an attachment for extinguishing the light when the candle has burned down to the socket. My

improvement is especially useful in that class of candlesticksknown as minerslamp, which are secured to a timber or wall by stabbing a spear attachment into the wood or wall.

In order to explain my invention so that others will be able to understand its nature and operation, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this spec ification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my extinguisher applied to a miners candlestick.

A represents a miners candlestick, such as are provided with a spear which can be thrust into a timber or wall for supporting the stick and candle. B is the socket in which the candle is held. A flat steel spring, 0, has one end secured to the candlestick A at a convenient distance from the socket, while its opposite end extends to the upper end of the socket, and has a sharpened blade or plate, (I, which lies across the socket and is made sufficiently large to cover the end of the candle. In the present instance this blade or plate is represented as semicircular, so as to correspond with the shape of the socket. The edge of this blade should not be sharpened so as to cut the candle, andthe strength of the spring should not be sufiicient to force it into the candle when in use.

To insert a candle, the blade or plate 01 must be drawn back by bending the spring 0 until the socket is uncovered. The candle is then inserted, and the edge of the plate or blade allowed to press against the candle just above the socket. The knife or plate will remain in this position until the candle burns almost to it; but when the candle has burned low enough to cause the heat to soften the tallow against which the blade presses the spring will grad ually force the blade across the socket and extinguish the flame. After the blade has commenced to pass across the candle sufficient time will elapse before the flame is extinguished to allow another candle to be lighted from it before it is entirely out.

Generally I shall employ an upward-projecting flange, e, on the side of the socket opposite the blade, against which the blade will strike when the spring has forced it across the socket.

By this means numerous fires can be prevented, especially in mines where the candle often burns down and then drops through the socket in a burning condition upon some inflammable substance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent, is-

The socket B with its flange c, in combination with the extinguishing plate or blade-d,

so constructed that it covers the end of the candle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

THEODORE A. WASHBURN. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

D. P. UPSON, S. W. GHUBBUGK. 

